You should stop correcting people about things you know nothing about.

The registry is the old school way of doing configuration. App.config is the way that all .net apps are supposed to use. There is an entire namespace devoted to working with these files in System.Configuration. When using the .net configuration APIs, you specify whether you want to do application or user specific changes. If it is user specific, an app.config is generated in that users appdata folder.

You obviously know nothing about .net development, so why in the world would you jump in and correct the OP? I have been doing .net apps for about 3 years now and am very active in the .net open source community, and the only times I every see registry being used is when dealing with a legacy platform (like COM)

You should stop correcting people about things you know nothing about. The registry is the old school way of doing configuration. App.config is the way that all .net apps are supposed to use.

I've just explained to you what App.config is for and where it is used. It is not intended to be used for dynamic configuration settings that a great many applications have a need for. Persisting values to App.config when the application is running and using it in that way has never been advised. About all it's good for is connection strings to databases and application wide and user specific settings for configuring the app at startup that aren't going to change much. It's a command line switch replacement really.

For crying out loud. Why on Earth do you think it's called App.config? Because it is strictly for the app configuration. Developers have a wide need to store a great deal of persistable information beyond static application settings. You have to look at other methods such as the registry (well, it's already there) or isolated storage of come kind or roll your own. It gets even more complicated with thread safety.

When using the .net configuration APIs, you specify whether you want to do application or user specific changes.

For quite a while Microsoft hadn't even thought of application settings for particular users! It's really only useful in the development process for testing more than anything else so you don't end up with a proliferation of various settings in source control for different environments. That's why it is a text file after all, as it makes this easier. For other things, it's not the right solution.

You obviously know nothing about .net development, so why in the world would you jump in and correct the OP? I have been doing .net apps for about 3 years now and am very active in the .net open source community..........

ROTFL.

Well, I hope your applications aren't doing anything terribly complex and you obviously missed the memo on how App.config is used and what it is intended for for someone so active in the .Net community, that's all I've got to say.

....and the only times I every see registry being used is when dealing with a legacy platform (like COM)

You need to get out a lot more. Once again, if it was that easy Mono wouldn't have to deal with the registry in ported apps. It quite clearly does.